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WBRU's Sale Coming Soon
- Thread starter Jacko
- Start date
I've heard this many times from many college stations, most recently Rice and Vanderbilt. "The kids," as you put it, are not in a position to make that demand. Even though they pay the fee, they're not responsible. You state there were three years when the station lost money. There were many opportunities during three years for "the kids" to take matters into their own hands, and maybe open the door to listener contributions. Did that happen? Even if it did, there needs to be an adult who represents "the kids" in this matter.
In any case it's too late. You are fortunate that there's an LPFM, and the Brown students will be able to listen to that. It's much better than what the Rice and Vanderbilt students got.
When you pay $68,000, you are in a position to state your case! There are 6,000 Brown students. They ain't going to settle for "podcasts" and a 101.1 FM translator! Look up "dilettante"! See if you can grasp its meanings!
When you pay $68,000, you are in a position to state your case! There are 6,000 Brown students. They ain't going to settle for "podcasts" and a 101.1 FM translator! Look up "dilettante"! See if you can grasp its meanings!
As I said, it's too late. Ask the folks at Rice and Vanderbilt. They're still angry and it's been a few years.
As I said, it's too late. Ask the folks at Rice and Vanderbilt. They're still angry and it's been a few years.
I know nothing about those circumstances. WBRU has always been run as a professional, formatted station. College stations tend to run a kaleidoscope of programming. WBRU has run modern rock and roll for 48+ years. We are proud to feature The 360 Degree Black Experience in Sound every Sunday. We've beaten every adversary with this format. You cannot compare WBRU with a "college" station. The kids choose the music they are happy with and the music constantly changes to suit their particular tastes. Not mine! I am happy to have them as my "station in life". Call them. (401) 272-9555 and have a convo with them. They know whereof they speak!
Buried on a Sunday. Not impressed. Tastes have changed. The other six days, the station plays rock.
It is not "buried on a Sunday". The point is to allow as many people as possible to hear the show. Sunday is when most folks are free to listen and enjoy the program instead of trying to listen at work. What station do you know of that can completely change its format to accommodate special programming and not lose its core audience?
I know nothing about those circumstances. WBRU has always been run as a professional, formatted station.
Same with Rice and Vanderbilt. It didn't matter. The people in charge made the decision, and that was that.
Not unlike what happens in the real world. If these students choose to enter broadcasting, there will be times when decisions they won't like will be made about what they do. Get used to it.
As I said, it's too late. Ask the folks at Rice and Vanderbilt. They're still angry and it's been a few years.
I think the Vanderbilt situation worked out pretty well, to be honest. VSC (similar to Brown's BBS) got a $3m endowment to fund student media indefinitely. Today, the student station that moved online has over double the student participation it had in 2011, and in fact launched a spin-off. Community DJs who were limited by VSC policies all along formed a non-profit, built an LPFM, and now have a dedicated spot for specialty shows. And Nashville got a full-time classical station and a full-time NPR news station. Tensions were high at the time, and I'm hardly unbiased, but six years out I think things are in a pretty good place for all parties involved.
FWIW, I have never met one K-Love listener among the many Christians that I have asked over the years.
We're nowhere near Rhode Island, but my wife is an occasional K-Love listener. If the definition of listening is just hearing a radio, I guess I am, too, though I'm not even remotely religious. Since we moved a year ago, it seems she listens to Christian music less.
K-Love doesn't have to do particularly well to make money. It doesn't have very many employees and only has two studios. Air 1 shares one studio in California with K-Love and has a separate one near Kansas City. It doesn't need too many donations to make that formula work. Transmitters and power bills are usually pretty reasonable all things considered.
I'm hardly unbiased, but six years out I think things are in a pretty good place for all parties involved.
Maybe. In the case you describe, the LPFM is not a student station. My understanding is that some Rice alums are also pursuing an LPFM license. I believe the experience of online radio is not the same as broadcast. Different rules and circumstances. If the decision at Brown is to put WBRU on the LPFM, that will be better than online only. However, it will displace a format that currently exists at the LPFM.
You'll be surprised at the coverage a LPFM has. A 95 watt one, like mine, can be heard up to 30 miles away in certain directions. Been doing some signal checks and discovered it. For a small radio station, the coverage is impressive. If the folks at BRU think a LPFM will benefit them more, then go for it. A LPFM is cheaper to run and maintain. Won't have those high priced bills to pay. Besides that, going non-commercial will give them a chance to add more unique styled programming to their broadcast and do things that the other major players aren't already doing. I see this as a win win for BRU.
That's the thing I love about LPFM. One can program the station as they wish and not have to answer to some advertiser or suit and tie person. A LPFM station gives the owner(s) freedom to play songs and cater to content that otherwise may not be heard elsewhere. A.K.A. being a real voice for the voiceless people.
Just some food for thought.
Dan <><
That's the thing I love about LPFM. One can program the station as they wish and not have to answer to some advertiser or suit and tie person. A LPFM station gives the owner(s) freedom to play songs and cater to content that otherwise may not be heard elsewhere. A.K.A. being a real voice for the voiceless people.
Just some food for thought.
Dan <><
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WPJB calls were originally on 105.1 (and briefly on 1420 in late '53-early '54) and stood for "Providence Journal Bulletin", the then morning and evening newspapers in Providence. They were retired in 1985 and replaced with WWLI. WWLI has done extremely well in ratings since then.You'll be surprised at the coverage a LPFM has. A 95 watt one, like mine, can be heard up to 30 miles away in certain directions. Been doing some signal checks and discovered it. For a small radio station, the coverage is impressive. If the folks at BRU think a LPFM will benefit them more, then go for it. A LPFM is cheaper to run and maintain. Won't have those high priced bills to pay. Besides that, going non-commercial will give them a chance to add more unique styled programming to their broadcast and do things that the other major players aren't already doing. I see this as a win win for BRU.
That's the thing I love about LPFM. One can program the station as they wish and not have to answer to some advertiser or suit and tie person. A LPFM station gives the owner(s) freedom to play songs and cater to content that otherwise may not be heard elsewhere. A.K.A. being a real voice for the voiceless people.
Just some food for thought.
Dan <><
I suggest that the use of an "average" radio will provide a better gauge of serviceable signal. Good luck in your LP broadcasting endeavor!
It seems like the students have rolled over on their backs and bared the neck in regards to WBRU. I'm certain that they will have plenty of time to enjoy their WBRU-LP! So I guess "fight for the right to party" is now a moot subject.
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Obviously really good. They are getting buying up everything. Hate EMF, Salem, and all those jesuscasters. Having said that, I'm hating Brown University more right now for their cheap sell outWhat are the chances that EMF winds up being the mystery buyer and takes the station remote-fed CCM? They have the resources to outbid nearly anyone for a marginal signal like 'BRU.
Obviously really good. They are getting buying up everything. Hate EMF, Salem, and all those jesuscasters. Having said that, I'm hating Brown University more right now for their cheap sell out
No. There is no need or reason to hate anyone. The students wimped without a whimper. They will be the ones who end up whining. I've already set all of my radios to WHJY and life goes on without WBRU. Just as it did prior to WBRU. Somebody always eventually fills the gap. 100.3 could become a possible replacement.
Not to worry! No person or thing is irreplaceable. We, along with Rock and Roll radio, will be all right!
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It's still appropriate to mourn. Providence lost WBRU, and, for parts of the market, B101 is also very hard to hear. Providence radio has had a tough run of luck lately.
It's still appropriate to mourn. Providence lost WBRU, and, for parts of the market, B101 is also very hard to hear. Providence radio has had a tough run of luck lately.
Not to mention those of us that listened to Cool 102 before the signal changes.
I was never a huge BRU fan but did check in frequently and appreciated it for what it was ... an alternative. I could never be too loyal because I hated what they did on Sundays.
It will be missed.
Interesting article:
http://wpri.com/2017/08/30/emails-b...n-to-wbru-in-bid-to-avoid-fm-signal-sale/amp/
My advice would have been to LMA the signal to a for-profit group, thus retaining the signal, but also obtaining the funding for the digital operations the students wanted. That's what they did at Yale.
http://wpri.com/2017/08/30/emails-b...n-to-wbru-in-bid-to-avoid-fm-signal-sale/amp/
My advice would have been to LMA the signal to a for-profit group, thus retaining the signal, but also obtaining the funding for the digital operations the students wanted. That's what they did at Yale.
No. There is no need or reason to hate anyone. The students wimped without a whimper. They will be the ones who end up whining. I've already set all of my radios to WHJY and life goes on without WBRU. Just as it did prior to WBRU. Somebody always eventually fills the gap. 100.3 could become a possible replacement.
Not to worry! No person or thing is irreplaceable. We, along with Rock and Roll radio, will be all right!
100.3 is Latina 100.3 WKKB and WPMZ 102.1 gets more listeners than WBRU.
My advice would have been to LMA the signal to a for-profit group, thus retaining the signal, but also obtaining the funding for the digital operations the students wanted. That's what they did at Yale.
The problem with that approach is that while the cash-flows in the short-term are a plus, you're banking on the station having the same value down the road when you decide to cash out. As more audio listenership moves to online channels, the value of an FM license is going to go lower and lower.
Also, while I respect Yale's right to do what they're doing... I'd argue that universities and their radio stations exist to provide an educational and cultural experience, not act as a profit center. It's hard to make the claim that Yale leasing out WYBC-FM provides more genuine benefit to their students than an outright sale would.
As more audio listenership moves to online channels, the value of an FM license is going to go lower and lower.
Maybe. Things have been fairly stable in the past 8 years, in terms of broadcast value and revenues. The problem with this particular station was three down years, with a money-losing format. The quality of the signal isn't the problem, but the owners didn't maximize their value. To that end, they got about $5 million for it. I'd argue that was on the low side of what it actually was worth.
I'd argue that universities and their radio stations exist to provide an educational and cultural experience, not act as a profit center. It's hard to make the claim that Yale leasing out WYBC-FM provides more genuine benefit to their students than an outright sale would.
First of all, Brown is only a stake-holder, not the full owner of the signal. The station is owned by non-profit Brown Broadcast Services. The university wanted to hold on to the signal. The students and board members did not. Perhaps they see things as you do, that broadcasting is a declining business, so get the cash while you can. My view is the BBS could have negotiated a better deal to keep students involved with the station in a way that would be educational. But it's likely that EMF wouldn't pay as much under those circumstances. So now instead of having one of a few broadcast stations, they will be one of a billion online stations. How valuable will that experience be for the students? And how many students will chose to listen to a student run online station, when there are infinite choices of more professional options available? We'll see.
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